Your chance to see a blood-red moon this week

Conditions are looking promising for the total lunar eclipse early Wednesday morning.

Image Credit: NASA

October 06, 2014 - 4:30 PM

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Not only do we get to view a full moon and a minor meteor shower this week, we will also be treated to a total lunar eclipse that will give the moon a blood red colour.

In our end of the world, the eclipse is expected to be visible from start to finish, as long as the partially cloudy conditions forecast for much of the week stay at bay.

The eclipse will begin just before 2 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 and by 3:25 a.m. the total eclipse will be underway. Typically a lunar eclipse can result in either a dark gray-black moon that appears to nearly vanish but this one is expected to colour the a bright orange-red. The total lunar eclipse will last about an hour and by just after 6:30, the eclipse will end.

The event is one of the so-called 'tetrad' of lunar eclipses taking place in 2014-2015. The first took place in April and the next one is set for April 2015. The final one will take place September 2015.

Wednesday also brings a full moon and the peak of the Draconids Meteor Shower. It should display roughly 10 meteors per hour and lasts from Oct. 6-10. Most of the meteors likely won’t be visible this year because of the full moon but patient viewers in a dark area may be able to see some of the brightest ones.

Another meteor shower is expected later this month as well. The Orionids Meteor Shower should be visible from Oct. 2 through Nov. 7 but will peak Oct 21-22. The lack of moon those days will make for better viewing of the shower, which produces about 20 meteors per hour during its peak. They will radiate from the constellation Orion but can appear anywhere in the sky.

That week will also bring a partial solar eclipse that should be visible throughout most of North America on Oct. 23. In order to safely view this eclipse you need a special solar filter or a way to look at the Sun’s reflections.

OPINION Editor, This is a busy time of year, but I find it’s also a time of reflection, particularly as January marks the end of my two-year term as Chair and my 10 years serving on the Board of Interior